told by the great man that his house was full-he had more than he could well find. Tyndale abode almost a year in the city, studying the Church and the world at head-quarters. "I understood," said he," at the last, not only that there was no room in my lord of London's palace, to translate the New Testament, but also, that there was no place to do it in all England."

He therefore embarked for the Continent, and remained in Hamburg about a year, busy at his translation, being supported chiefly by the liberality of a London merchant. It has been generally supposed that he went at once to Luther, and was leagued with him in this work. But this is a mistake-he never set foot in Saxony before the publication of his New Testament. From Hamburg he removed to Cologne on the Rhine in 1525, accompanied by his amanuensis, William Roye. There he committed to the press the New Testament, in the form of a quarto volume. But the printers had not proceeded far when the work was interdicted. They managed, however, to secure the printed sheets, and sailed with them up the Rhine to Worms, where they resumed their task in safety, and with renewed zeal. When Cochlæus, an indefatigable defender of the "Old Learning," discovered, by intoxicating the printers, that the "two apostate Englishmen, learned, skilful in languages, and fluent," were actually printing 3,000 copies of the New Testament in English, with the design of "making all England Lutheran," he was "moved with fear and wonder," and induced the authorities to interpose. He also wrote to Henry VIII. and Cardinal Wolsey, "that they might, with the greatest diligence, take care lest that most pernicious article of merchandise should be conveyed into all the ports of England."

The New Testament arrived in England in January 1526. The history of this importation of " pernicious merchandise" is full of romantic incidents, and "if only the half were told, would be one of the most graphic stories" in our annals. "No siege by sapping and mining which England has ever since achieved could furnish a tenth part of the incident, or evince half the courage by which she was herself assailed."

Think of the tremendous forces that were acting in combination against the introduction of the printed Scriptures into England in the native language! Henry's royal honour was staked to vindicate his proud title of Defender of the Faith, which he had won in controversy against Lutheranism, the opprobrious designation now employed towards all the friends of the English Testament. His chancellor, Wolsey, was next to him in power-a man of vast wealth and inordinate ambition-an intriguing aspirant to the Papal chair, and virtually Pope of England, both from his political influence, which enabled him to dictate to the Court of Rome, and his new office as vicar.

Wolsey, roused by a personal satire against himself, commenced the work of persecution by instituting a secret search for books. It was found that Garret, a curate in London, had been in the habit of conveying large quantities to "a little flock" in Oxford. He and all suspected of receiving the books were cast into prison. Among these were a number of the students of Wolsey's own college. They were immured in a dungeon, where, getting no food but salt fish for five months, four of them died.

Dr Barnes having, in a sermon, ridiculed the cardinal's golden shoes, golden cushions, and red gloves, was called upon to "abjure or burn." After painful suspense, he was persuaded to abjure, and Wolsey had triumphant revenge. In St Paul's, on Sabbathday, he sat enthroned in state, and clothed in purple,

surrounded by thirty abbots, mitred priors, and bishops, while Fisher preached against the "heretics," and then baskets full of books were thrown into a fire kindled without. Barnes and his fellow. abjurers were obliged to carry faggots round the fire three times before they cast them in, and the whole ended by proclaiming an indulgence to the spectators. Thus the work of exterminating the Scriptures went on; but it was not confined to England. In obedience to Wolsey's instructions, the English ambassador not only visited Antwerp, Barrow, Zealand, and other places, for this purpose, but he made "privy inquisitions" after books at Ghent and Bruges, Louvaine, &c. He made some "good fires" of the New Testaments; but in an attempt to punish the printer of them at Antwerp, he received an effectual check from the free Government of that place which presented a happy contrast to the slavery of England. It was this ambassador (Hacket) who first suggested the idea of buying up the New Testament in order to burn it. So greatly were the bishops alarmed at the prospects of its circulation, that Warham, archbishop of Canterbury, spent £664 thus, or part of Tyndale's first edition, and called on the bishops to contribute their share of the money, which they did, and thanked him cordially for this " rious and blessed deed."

glo

"It seemed the genial air,
From pole to pole, from Atlas to the East,
Was then at enmity with English blood;
For, but the race of England, all were safe
In foreign climes; nor did this fury taste

The foreign blood that England then contained."

In two months 40,000 were affected in London alone, of whom 4,000 died. Both the king and his chancellor made their wills, and confessed daily, that they might be ready for this terrible visitant.

How well it was doing its work in 1530 is shown in a letter from the aged Bishop of Norwich.

"If," said he, "these erroneous opinions continue any time, I think they shall UNDO US ALL. The gentlemen and the commonalty be not greatly in fected, but merchants, and such that hath their abiding not far from the sea."

Now, therefore, the rulers take counsel together,, and here is their determination. Having selected upwards of a hundred "errors" out of "Tyndale and Fryth," they say:

"All which great errors and pestilent heresies being contagious and damnable, with all the books containing the same, with the translation also of Scripture corrupted by William Tyndale, as well in the Old Testament as in the New, and all other books in English containing such errors-the king's highness present in person-by one whole advice and assent of the prelates and clerks, as well of the universities as of all other assembled together, determined utterly to be repelled, rejected, and put away out of the hands of his people, and not to be suffered to get abroad among his subjects."

But they could not bind the Word of God. They might burn the books in which it was written, and even the hearts on which it was engraved; but truth cannot be consumed in the flames-it "endures for ever." When the Bishop of London, in May this year, had the New Testaments which he had bought piled up and burned in St Paul's Church-yard, the people were indignant, and filled with a greater love for the Scriptures and hatred to the clergy than ever.

Afterwards, the New Testaments printed with the money got for those now burned, "came thick and threefold into England;" so that the bishops were informed that, if they wished to stop the supply, they must buy the stamps too!

While Tyndale was diligently labouring for the salvation of his country, he was in constant apprehension of his life from her ungrateful rulers, whose spies were dogging his steps, intruding into his privacy, and worming themselves into his confidence, in order to betray him. On one occasion, in a secret interview with our ambassador (Vaughan), whom he almost converted to his opinions, he uttered an emphatic sentence, which affectingly betrays at once the heart of an exile and the spirit of a martyr:"As I now am," said he, "very death were more pleasant to me than life, considering men's nature to be such as can bear no truth."

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pliment; for Tyndale, an honest and a true man, knew too well what was due to the Sacred Volume and its Divine Author, to flatter any mortal within its covers. At this time the Scriptures came freely into England, and were eagerly read by many without any molestation from the authorities. At length, in 1535, the translator was betrayed by two hired spies from England, and cast into a prison at Vilvorde, where he laboured on till the day of his martyrdom, which he endured with a calm heroism; his last words, uttered from the flames with fervent zeal and a loud voice, being-"Lord, open the eyes of the King of England! "-a prayer, which, alas! seems to have been never answered. Thus died William Tyndale.

BOOK.

THE MESSAGE OF LIFE AND DEATH.

Yet was he a loyal man and a true patriot, full of yearning affection for his native land, which he was never to see again. Vaughan thus describes the effect on him of some false assurances of Henry's pity and goodness:

"I perceived the man to be exceedingly altered, and to take the same very near to his heart, in such wise that water stood in his eyes; and he said: What gracious words are these! I assure you,' said he, if it would stand with the king's most gracious pleasure to grant only a bare text of the Scripture to be put forth among the people, like as is put forth among the subjects of the emperor in these parts, and of other Christian princes, I shall immediately make promise never to write more, but most humbly to submit myself at the feet of his royal majesty, offering my body to suffer whatever pain or torture, yea, what death his grace will, so that this be obtained. And till that time I will abide the asperity of all chances, and endure my life in as much pain as it is able to bear and suffer.'"

Influenced, no doubt, by this noble spirit, Vaughan remonstrated against the cruel policy of the English Court with much earnestness.

"Let his majesty," said he, "be further assured that he can, with no policy, nor with no threatenings of tortures and punishments, take away the opinions of his people, till his grace shall fatherly and lovingly reform the clergy of his realm. For there springeth the opinion-from thence riseth the grudge of his people."

But neither Henry nor his vicar thought of any

thing but their own power and profit. Truly has

Mr Anderson observed, that "in the persons of her rulers at this period, no nation upon earth had surpassed Britain in her opposition to divine truth."* Queen Anne was favourable to Tyndale and his cause. In 1534 he presented her with a copy of the New Testament, beautifully printed on vellum, with illuminations, bound in blue morocco, and the name, Anna Regina Anglia, in large red letters outside on the margins, but without any dedication or com* Annals of the English Bible, vol. i., p. 314.

ON the banks of one of our most classic streams lies the village of peacefully basking in the bright southern sun. It lies but a few miles from our town, communicating with it both by boat and bridge.

church attender.

Some years ago, there lived in it a labouring man of the name of J A-. He was, externally, most respectable in character, and a regular One summer Sabbath morning he strolled up the banks of the river, and, without any very special object, entered my church. It was no concern for his soul, nor any wish to hear the Gospel, that brought him. Report had brought many things to his ears concerning me, and he felt some vague curiosity to hear me. He had not a particle of religion about him; nothing even of its form, except the church-going.

The first part of the service affected him little, but towards the close he was completely arrested. It was of "Jesus of Nazareth passing by," that I spoke. "He is here-He is passing by-He will soon be gone. Oh! lay hold of him-seize, touch if it were but the hem of his garment." These words went to his very heart. His conscience was arrested. He felt as he had never done before. He could not tell what was the matter, but he went home, as he expressed it, "real heavy." Conviction had seized his conscience, and had struck its arrows deep. His feelings were more those of bitterness than of terror, but still they were genuine and thorough.

As soon as he returned home he hastened to his knees. "For the first time in my life," he said to me afterwards, "I bowed the knee to God."

"But do you mean to say that you never tried to

pray before?" I asked.

"Not just that," said he; "I used to say a few words over to myself at night when I got into bed, but I never bowed the knee before."

I was a little surprised at this confession at that time, but I am much less so now. I have learned how much less there is even of form among the people of this land than I used to suppose. Not only has prayer ceased to an awful extent amongst us, but the mere form of it (in private at least)--the

mere bowing of the knee has gone. How soon professing Christians sink into utter ungodliness! How much more rapidly do they degenerate even from their forms than the Heathen do!

I then proceeded to ask him how long 'these convictions continued, and how he found peace. He I gave me a distinct and satisfactory account of his change-an account all the more satisfactory when I remembered his previous carelessness and ignorance of divine things. He told me that, for about a week after he was thus convinced of sin, he went about in great darkness and misery, seeking rest and finding none. He had none in the village where he lived to open his mind to, and he did not think of applying to me. But one day as he was upon his knees, "seeking the Lord," the light of the Gospel beamed in. He found it to be good news of forgiveness to his weary spirit, and in believing it the burden rolled from off his shoulders. He rose relieved and lightened, feeling himself a new man. That very night he commenced family worship in his house, which, till then, had never been thought of by either himself or his wife.

He continued visiting me occasionally for about a year or upwards, getting the loan of books from me, which he seemed to relish and prize. Shortly after I missed him from church, where his attendance used to be most regular. His visits also to me were discontinued. I inquired after him, and found that his old minister had offered him the situation of

precentor, which he had accepted. I was sorry at this; not that I grudged another congregation his attendance, but because I feared that he could hear no Gospel where he now worshipped. I wondered how he could have consented to accept such a situation, and feared that he must be drawing back and waxing cold. I never could get an opportunity of speaking to him alone, and therefore could not ascertain his own feelings as to his spiritual condition. But I inquired at others, and they still bore testimony to the excellency of his character and the Christian deportment of his walk and conversation. He used to come and hear me preach when I went to the village where he was; but even then I could only get a few words from him at the close. He did not seem to shun me, and yet he did not speak with the freedom which he used to do in former years. I could not help standing in doubt of him, and anxiously wishing to get hold of him, and know exactly how he stood. His former dealings with me were of such a solid and satisfactory kind that I could not help still regarding him as a believer, though at the same time I was constrained to fear that he was not the same living happy Christian that he once was when

first he knew the Lord.

One evening I went out to preach at the village of H. He was there as usual. After sermon, he lingered behind to speak with me. In an abrupt way, which was natural to him, he told me that some time ago he had been thrown into great darkness of mind by a sermon which he had heard. For a time he had been very miserable. Then again he had heard another which was the means of bringing light into his soul again. I forget the text and the obser

vations which were thus blesssed to him; but it seemed to me as if his soul were again grasping the Gospel which some years ago he had laid hold of. His soul seemed again at rest.

I returned home greatly rejoicing at this interview. It re-assured me. I had not, indeed, ascer tained very minutely his state of soul, nor any of but I its various workings for the last three years; felt assured that he had not let go his hold of Christ, and that though he undoubtedly had not been making the progress which he ought to have done, still he had not wholly left his first love. I was thankful to have learned this much of him.

On the following week, the tidings reached me that two men had been killed in a neighbouring quarry. I inquired their names, and found that one of them was no other than J A God had cut him down in the prime of his manhood!

I felt doubly thankful now for the interview I had had with him a few days before. Had it not been for that, I should have had no assurance of his eternal well-being. It was as if God had brought him to me to tell me of his spiritual state before he took him thus suddenly away. I could not doubt that it was well with him, however sore the bereavement was to a weeping widow and her helpless orphans.

RUSSIA AND THE GREEK CHURCH. BY THE REV. ANDREW THOMSON, A.B., EDINBURGH.

WHAT, it may be asked, after the sombre details we have given in our former article, are our hopes for the Church of Christ in Russia! In the midst of so many discouraging elements. do we dare to hope at all? When we think of her homage to the Virgin, and her invocations to the dead, of the abject superstitions of her pic ture-worship-superstitions which we trace not only in the pomp and ceremonial of her public services, but in her peasant's home and in her fisherman's hut, for in the dwelling of the humblest peasant of Russia Proper, and before the door of the poorest fisherman on the shores of the Black Sea and the Caspian, there hangs the image of his favourite saint with the taper burning before it; when we think of the low morality of the people rendering cheating and over-reaching a common quality even in the most simple business transactions; when we think, too, of the absolute power with which the emperor is armed-a power which from its very enormity makes him jealous of all free inquiry,; and tremulous at the very shadow of change eager therefore against innovation in the Church, lest to-morrow it should reach the throne; when we think of these things, we are ready to sicken at the thought of a nation so vast bound in the chains of a superstition rivetted by despotism, that retains little of Christianity besides the

name.

Still one ray of light streaks the sky-shall | we call it the last lingering ray of evening twilight? or the first beam of morning that announces day? We refer to the fact that the

Word of God is free in Russia-that its bishops and pastors, in many instances, encourage its circulation, and, what is only next in importance, that the people in general admit its supreme authority as an end to controversy. The experience of Drs Paterson and Henderson has, indeed, shown that the efforts of foreigners for the circulation of the Scriptures are regarded with distrust; but the check given in their case was rather because they were not Russians than becanse they were Bible agents. In this feature of his character, the Greek Churchman approaches the Protestant-the two meet on common ground-they have, what it is ever found so difficult to secure with a Romish disputant, a common standard of appeal, and therefore, amid all the encumbering rubbish of superstition, the seeds of life yet slumber in the Russian soil. Earthquakes have sometimes brought precious seeds and metals nearer the surface. Who can tell at what new turn of events the seeds of life may be brought nearer the surface in Russia, and the faith of a few weeping thousands, in spite of imperial ukases and synodical deeds, become the faith of an enlightened and emancipated population? That we are not too sanguine in this expectation let us now show, by one or two extracts from Dr Pinkerton's work, the first of which will serve the additional purpose of presenting us with a vivid picture of the Russian worship:

Let any one, on his first arrival in Petersburg, enter the Church of St Nicholas, for instance, on a holiday, in the time of service, and, placing himself in a corner, calmly contemplate the scene before him: he might easily be led to the conclusion, that the Russians are to be counted among the most ignorant and superstitious of nations. The splendour of the building, with its gaudy decorations; the sumptuous dresses of the clergy, composed of bright-coloured brocades, covered with embroidery and bespangled with gems; the vocal music; the odours of incense ascending before the sacred pictures, from the golden censer waving in the hand of the officiating priest; the great number of pictures covering the walls, overlaid with gold and silver plates in the form of robes, studded with pearls and precious stones, before which some hundreds of wax-lights and lamps of different sizes are burning; the people of all classes standing and worshipping (for none sit there); some turning to their respective tutelary saints, and prostrating themselves before them in various acts of humiliation; others bargaining for tapers at the stalls where they are sold in the church, then lighting them, and with many crossings and ceremonies placing them before their favourite pictures, as an offering, and a symbol of the sincerity of their devotion-having beheld these, let him turn his attention from the almost confounding splendour and stupifying effects of this crowded scene, more minutely to contemplate its parts, and mark the peculiar dresses, and looks, and attitudes of individuals. He will see much to excite his feelings of compassion and sympathy. Here the aged sire of fourscore, devoutly crossing and slowly prostrating himself before the picture of his tutelary saint, his legs and arms trembling beneath him, ere his forehead and hoary locks reach the pavement: what must it cost such a feeble old man to perform this most fatiguing act of his devotion, per

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haps forty or fifty times in a morning!-There the devout mother, with her babe in her arms, teaching touching, with the thumb and first two fingers united, its infant hand to make the figure of the cross, by first its forehead, then its breast, next the right shoulder, and afterwards the left; and to lisp the Gospodi Pomilui: and when the priest brings out the crucifix, at the end of the service, to bestow the benediction, behold, she presses forward in the crowd, and devoutly embraces the feet of the image of the

suffering Saviour, and the infant follows her example! Without any further knowledge of the service, people, and principles of the Greek Church, the traveller must at once come to the conclusion that the Eastern Church is, in all respects, as corrupt in doctrine, and as superstitious in practice, as the Church he finds this a hasty conclusion, as it regards doctrine, of Rome. On obtaining better information, however, and not borne out by facts; for the Church that permits every one of its members to read the Holy Scriptures in a language which he understands, and acknowledges this Word as the highest tribunal in matters of faith on earth, is still possessed of the best will no doubt take place with the increase of learning reformer of all superstition-a reformation which and scriptural knowledge, both in Russia and Greece.

The sentiment here expressed by Dr Pinkerton is borne out by facts mentioned in other parts of his book:

In March 1822, I met with a most interesting spiritual Christian, the minister of one of their assemblies in St Petersburg, and had a long conversation with him in the house of a Russian noble. His name was Isaiah. He was a man about sixty years of age -in appearance, a simple bearded peasant, dressed in coarse wide russet garments. I conversed with him for nearly three hours on the essential doctrines of the Gospel, and found him, in general, very sound. His knowledge was taken solely from the Word of God, of which he was one of the most powerful quoters I ever conversed with. His views of the faith and practice of a Christian, drawn from this source, were beautifully simple and harmonious. But, like the Duchobortzi, he rejected the external ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper. He seemed to insist much upon the evidences of a living faith; and that nothing could entitle a person to the name of Christian but Christianity in practice. As he had no acquaintance with scholastic theology, nor any systematic form of faith, I was astonished at his skill in illustrating one part of Scripture by another, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, and the wonderful facility with which he applied the whole force of truth to the regulation of the heart and life. In this poor peasant I saw an illustrious example of the power of the Divine Word, under the blessing of God, to make even the simple, and those who, in respect of human learning, are babes, truly wise. His congregation, he told me, consisted of about five hundred souls, who formed a village near Mosdok. They had five elders to labour among them in spiritual things, who are chosen from among themselves, and ordained to their office by the laying on of the hands of the whole Church, and prayer. He spoke of their brethren as being very numerous, and scattered over all the provinces of the empire; they were also known under the name of Molochani; but were not all equally pure in doctrine and practice. He said that he had been sent forth by his Church for the express purpose of visiting the brethren, and ministering to their spiritual wants by doctrine and conversation: many of them, he added, were becoming purer in faith and practice.

But perhaps the most interesting document of all, is one put forth by Philaret, archbishop of Moscow, containing a statement of the differences between the doctrines of the Eastern and Western Churches. These are given in opposite columns, and we regret that we have only space to present a few:

DOCTRINE OF THE EASTERN DOCTRINE OF THE WESTERN

(OR GREEK) CHURCH. The only pure and all

sufficient source of the doctrines of faith is the revealed Word of God, contained now in the Holy Scriptures.

(OR ROMISH) CHURCH.

Holy Scripture is not an adequate source of saving doctrine; for in Christianity there is much necessary to be known which is not in the Scriptures.

Holy Scripture is so unintelligible, that it is impossible to understand it without an interpreter; for many passages of it admit of various interpretations, &c.

Councils have an equal degree of exemption from error with the Holy Scriptures; for in them Jesus Christ is present.

Grace and faith only lay the beginning of the work of justification: a man acquires perfect justification, and eternal life, by his own merits, which are his good works.

Jesus Christ is the in

visible, and the Pope of Rome the visible Head of the Church.-"Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church."

-Matt. xvi. 18.

These words refer to the Bishop of Rome, as the successor of St Peter.

While we much fear that the enlightened and scriptural sentiments expressed in the first column cannot be received as those of the general body of the Russian clergy, still, as coming from one of her most distinguished dignitaries, it has high value, especially when we consider that what exists at all may be extended.

What, then, it may be asked, is our duty to the Greek Church in Russia, as well as to its

other branches in other regions of the East We have no hesitation in avowing it as our conviction, that the Reformed communions in general have not discharged their duty to the Eastern Churches, and that the sleepless ac tivity of Jesuitism has taken fatal advantage of our Protestant supineness. The policy of Rome for many centuries has been to assimilate the forms and ceremonies of the Greek Church as nearly as possible to her own, thus making the passage back to her own fold the easier. The consequence has been, that Rome has of late years made considerable additions to her numbers from the Greek communion.

But the very history of the two Churches places them in natural antagonism to each other, and, were evangelical Protestants only faithful to their trust, and alive to their opportunity, they might soon, with the Bible in their hand. succeed in widening and deepening the gulf which it has been the policy of Rome to fill up. It is the testimony of travellers, that, while the Roman Catholic priest regards even a Bible agent with reserve and suspicion, the Greek pastor, and his people with him, are, in many instances, disposed to cheer him on in his work.

Inquiry, then, should be made in regard to the precise condition of all the great branches of the Greek communion-the good men in all of them that retain a simple faith amid a corrupt ceremonial, should be sought out-corres pondence should be established with them, pecuniary assistance freely given when it may be advantageously bestowed, inissionaries sent forth when a door of entrance is open for them, coìporteurs where the missionary would be suspected and turned aside; while we should stand watching with prayerful and longing hearts for the hour when He who has been made Head over all things to the Church, shall so arrange the events of his providence as to lay open to the unfettered efforts of evangelical Christianity the wide extent of the empire of the czar.

Protestants have looked too exclusively upon the Roman Catholic Church as the only proper antagonist to wrestle with. But while the West is to be reconquered, let us not forget that the East is to be reclaimed. Let us not forget that, vast in its intrinsic importance, its relative importance is, if possible, vaster still. The ter ritories of the Greek Church border on those of Mohammedanism, and the tide of life, once flowing over her, would pass over the regions given to the false prophet, and at length meet and mingle with the tide that had meanwhile been advancing from the shores of converted India. Never do we feel the magnitude aud the grandeur of the missionary enterprise as we ought, until we awake to the truth that its field is the world; and never do we see our own country in its true majesty of responsibility and of destiny, until we perceive that, for ages to come, she must stand foremost in the work-the centre at once of action and